Reimagining Data Analytics with AI

Summary

In this podcast, Sarah shares her journey from astrophysics researcher to startup founder, highlighting her company Seek's innovative approach to data accessibility through AI. She discusses the importance of branding, assembling a strong founding team, and the value of customer feedback in attracting investment. Sarah reflects on her realization as a 'builder' and the challenges of communicating the utility of large language models to investors. Her insights underscore the significance of self-awareness, effective branding, and understanding market needs in navigating the startup landscape.

Takeaways

• 😀 Sarah's journey spans from astrophysics research to becoming a startup founder, showcasing her diverse background.
• 💡 Branding is crucial for a startup; a strong name can differentiate a product and enhance its marketability.
• 🔍 Sarah initially struggled with naming her company until her aunt suggested a name with two consecutive vowels, leading to 'Seek.'
• 👥 A high-quality founding team is essential for attracting investment and driving a startup forward.
• 🚀 Building a minimum viable product (MVP) allows potential customers to test and validate the concept before full-scale launch.
• 🤖 Seek uses AI and deep learning to enable non-technical users to query data directly, solving inefficiencies in data access.
• 📊 Accuracy in AI responses is measured through execution accuracy metrics, ensuring reliability in the outputs provided to users.
• 🔑 Investors prioritize customer enthusiasm, emphasizing the importance of letters of intent from prospects to demonstrate demand.
• 🏗️ Sarah identifies as a 'Builder,' reflecting her passion for creating and constructing solutions throughout her career.
• 💬 The introduction of ChatGPT helped facilitate understanding and acceptance of large language models among investors.

Q & A

What motivated Sarah to start Seek?

Sarah was motivated to start Seek after recognizing inefficiencies in how professionals accessed data, combined with the growth of AI and large language models that could facilitate easier data queries for non-technical users.

How did Sarah’s background influence her approach to founding Seek?

Sarah's background as an astrophysics researcher and her experience in financial services provided her with a unique perspective on the importance of data accessibility and the challenges faced by professionals in obtaining necessary information.

What role do large language models play in Seek's technology?

Large language models enable Seek to answer queries directly from non-technical users, allowing for a more efficient and scalable way to access data without needing constant input from data teams.

What is Seek’s approach to customizing its services for clients?

Seek builds a customized version for each client, using deep learning to understand and adapt to the specific nuances and requirements of their data sets.

What metrics does Seek use to measure accuracy?

Seek employs execution accuracy metrics to assess the accuracy of model-generated instructions against human-written instructions, ensuring the reliability of the data responses provided.

What challenges did Sarah face when pitching to investors?

Sarah faced the challenge of articulating the potential of large language models to investors, especially in 2021 when the technology was still gaining traction and understanding within the investment community.

What three key elements do investors look for in an AI startup?

Investors typically seek evidence of customer enthusiasm for the product, a strong founding team with relevant experience, and a clear understanding of the market and branding.

Why did Sarah change the original name of her startup from 'zil'?

Sarah changed the name from 'zil' after her aunt, a wealth manager, suggested that it wasn't appealing and recommended creating a name with two consecutive vowels, which led to the eventual choice of 'Seek.'

What personal realization did Sarah have during COVID that influenced her career path?

During COVID, Sarah realized she had a passion for building things, which solidified her decision to pursue a path as a startup founder rather than climbing the corporate ladder in a traditional finance role.

How does Sarah describe herself in one word, and what does that signify?

Sarah describes herself as a 'Builder,' which signifies her inclination towards creating, innovating, and developing solutions, reflecting her entrepreneurial spirit.